* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "District H Internship Program"] [00:00:29] GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. TODAY IS A VERY EXCITING DAY WHERE WE KICK OFF THE DISTRICT H HORIZONS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. THIS IS A SIX MONTH PAID OPPORTUNITY TO INTERN IN THE DISTRICT H OFFICE THAT IS GONNA BE PROVIDED TO FOLKS TO GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO GET LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE TO EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS OR POTENTIAL INTERESTS IN A CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE. AND WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FOLKS WHO LIVE, WORK, OR STUDY IN DISTRICT H. NOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS A PRIORITY FOR ME BECAUSE OF MY OWN EXPERIENCE, UH, IN CITY HALL AS A FORMER STAFFER, UH, FOR SEVEN MONTHS WORKING AS A CHIEF OF STAFF. AND THAT TIME, WHILE IT WASN'T LONG, UH, WAS SO VALUABLE IN MY ABILITY TO LEARN WHAT ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY DO, HOW YOU CAN GET CONSTITUENT ISSUES RESOLVED, AND BUILD THE NETWORK OF FOLKS THAT BECOME YOUR FRIENDS, BECOME YOUR MENTORS, BECOME PEOPLE YOU CAN GO TO FOR COUNSEL AND ADVICE. AND IT DIRECTLY IMPACTED MY ABILITY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL FIRST TIME CANDIDATE, UH, WHO WANTED TO STEP UP AND SERVE MY, YOU KNOW, MY COMMUNITY. AND SO THIS IS WHY I HAVE MADE IT A PRIORITY TO, WHILE IN OFFICE, GIVE BACK AND GIVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO OTHERS WHO HAVE THAT INTEREST, UH, THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE, THINKING ABOUT BUILDING A PIPELINE OF LEADERS. AND THIS IS ABOUT PROVIDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHEN YOU PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, GREAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN. UM, AND, AND THIS IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR THAT. NOW, THE APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM ARE LIVE NOW, AND, UH, I'M EXCITED TO SAY YOU CAN GO TO HOUSTON TX.GOV/COUNCIL/H AND APPLY FOR THIS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, AND IT'LL BE OPEN THROUGH THE MONTH OF JUNE. UM, THIS PROGRAM WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT GREAT PARTNERSHIPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE STEPPING UP TO BE A PART OF THIS, TO HELP PROMOTE IT AND, UH, TO ENSURE THAT IT IS SUCCESSFUL IN ITS INCEPTION. UM, SO I DO WANT TO GIVE SOME TIME TO THOSE THAT WILL, UH, BE A PART OF THIS AND HAVE BEEN SO GREAT TO WORK WITH ALREADY. UM, FIRST, UH, DR. BLANCHARD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN TO PRESIDENT. UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, UH, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S ONLY GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW AND THRIVE. UH, AND I AM EXCITED HOW THIS PROGRAM, UH, WILL INTEGRATE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN, DR. BLANCHARD. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. UH, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW GREAT OF A DAY THIS REALLY IS, AND THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO AVAIL ITSELF TO CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT H AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN IS IN DISTRICT H, UH, THAT THE REALITY FOR US IS THAT WE SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH OUR STUDENTS SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF CO UH, OF COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT MORE SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY PRACTICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING, AND THAT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, DEVELOPING THEIR LEADERSHIP ACUMEN SO THAT THEY, WHEN THEY ARE COMPLETED WITH THEIR DEGREES, UH, THAT THEY ARE 100% READY TO MOVE INTO ROLES THAT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY AND BEYOND. UH, AND SO I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW THIS HORIZON PROGRAM IS JUST SO IMPORTANT, UH, TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN. I MENTIONED TO THE COUNCILMAN JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, IS HE READY FOR THE GATES TO OPEN? HE, HE MUST HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WE HAVE 14,000 STUDENTS . UH, AND, UH, THE REALITY IS THAT WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THEM WILL BE HUNGRY FOR THIS KIND OF OPPORTUNITY. UH, THE BEAUTY OF IT TO ME AS WELL IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR SYNERGIES TO OCCUR, AS YOU WELL KNOW, THAT, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN AS WELL AS, UH, CITY HALL, UH, IS, IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE DISTRICT. UM, AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH [00:05:01] SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE MAJORING IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, IN, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH, IN, UH, URBAN EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK, ALL OF THESE AREAS, POLITICAL SCIENCE, I COULD GO ON AND ON, ALL OF THESE AREAS THAT REALLY WHERE WE'VE GOT STUDENTS THAT WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE BEING PREPARED FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD. SO I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TODAY, UM, AND I JUST MENTIONED TO MY, UH, ASSISTANT THAT'S HERE WITH ME THAT WE'VE GOTTA START MARKETING THIS. IT'S ALREADY OPEN JUNE 1ST. I DON'T WANT ANY OTHER STUDENTS TO GET AHEAD, SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR UHD STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. WHILE I KNOW THAT THIS WILL OP OPEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A FEW INTERNS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN CASTILLO, FOR THE LONG HAUL. UH, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT LET'S OPEN IT, WORK TOGETHER TO OPEN IT TO MANY MORE STUDENTS. AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS WITHIN CITY HALL WHERE STUDENTS CAN FIND A PLACE. UH, AND WHEN I SAY FIND A PLACE, I MEAN UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY CAN APPLY ALL OF THEIR LEARNING, AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'LL CULTIVATE, UH, THE INTEREST IN THEM TO ONE DAY, BECOME THOSE LEADERS AS WELL. SO, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN. UM, UH, YOU HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT YOUR EMAIL BOX OR WHATEVER WAY YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE APPLICATIONS, WE'LL BE FULL. UM, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TODAY AND THE FUTURE FOR THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. BLANCHARD. UH, THIS PROGRAM WOULDN'T BE AS A SUCCESS IF IT WASN'T FOR OUR, OUR PARTNERSHIP AND GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP. AND, UH, I DO HOPE THAT THIS IS JUST THE START OF A, OF A, OF THE BEGINNING WHERE WE CAN GROW THIS, UM, TO CONCLUDE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, UH, AND AGAIN, PROVIDE MORE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. UM, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, UM, I AM A LATINO, I AM L-G-B-T-Q. UH, I DON'T TAKE THOSE THINGS LIGHTLY. AND THIS PROGRAM, I WANT TO ENSURE REACHES ALL COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL TO APPLY AND TO GET THIS EXPERIENCE, UH, ESPECIALLY FROM COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF REPRESENTATION HERE AT CITY HALL OR IN OUR DEPARTMENTS. UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PARTNERS, UM, DIVERSITY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. UM, AND I'M SO EXCITED AND, AND PROUD TO WORK AND PARTNER WITH THE L-G-B-T-Q CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, AND TAMMY WALLACE, WHO IS SOMEONE THAT I HAVE SEEN MAKE SUCH AN IMPACT FOR SO MANY YEARS, UH, HERE IN HOUSTON. AND, YOU KNOW, AS A FRIEND, THIS IS, UH, A NICE, UH, JUST PERSONAL MOMENT AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE SHE IS SOMEONE THAT SO MANY OF US LOOK UP TO, UH, IN THE WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE. AND I KNOW THAT THE L-G-B-T-Q CHAMBER WILL BE SUCH A GOOD PARTNER, UH, FOR US IN HELPING TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMUNITIES KNOW ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. AND WE GET APPLICANTS, UH, FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF FOLKS THROUGHOUT DISTRICT H. TAMMY, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER AND DR. BLANCHARD. I HAVE TO SAY I AM A UHD GRAD. LOVE IT. AND I WOULD NOT BE STANDING HERE WITHOUT UHD BEAUTIFUL, UH, FIRST GENERATION AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO UHD AND COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR BEING SUCH A STRONG ROLE MODEL FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY. UM, IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE STANDING HERE TODAY, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS REPRESENTED STANDING HERE TODAY TO LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM AND PARTNER WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, YOU KNOW, LGBTQ PLUS REPRESENTATION IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS CRITICAL, AND WE ARE PROUD THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO THE ONLY UNDERSCORE, ONLY LGBTQ PLUS MEMBER ON CITY COUNCIL, HE HAS CREATED THIS PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO FOSTER DIVERSE VOICES IN PUBLIC SERVICE, THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY NEEDS, NOT ONLY TO SEE THESE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT DESERVES PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AND FOR SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN THEM SO THEY CAN BE PART OF SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES. SPEAKING OF BIGGER, SO MY JOURNEY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER MENTIONED, I, I CREATED, UH, CO-FOUNDED, WE LAUNCHED THE GREATER HOUSTON LGBTQ PLUS CHAMBER. AND THAT WAS DRIVEN BECAUSE WE NEEDED INCLUSIVE SPACES AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM EMBODIES. IT'S THAT SPIRIT THAT THIS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM REALLY EMBODIES TO MAKE SURE THERE'S INCLUSIVE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SERVICE. WE IN 2016, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE AS A COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY FOR THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY. WE [00:10:01] DIDN'T HAVE A SEAT, WE DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE AT THE TABLE. THIS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM GIVES LGBTQ PLUS INDIVIDUALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SEAT WHERE THEY CAN BE ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND GROW IN A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY IS PART OF THE AMAZING TAPESTRY OF OUR CITY. WE TALK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME. PROGRAMS LIKE THE DISTRICT H HORIZONS INTERN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, THEY'RE ESSENTIAL FOR FOSTERING LEADERSHIP AND ENSURING THAT LGBTQ PLUS INDIVIDUALS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEANINGFULLY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY. WE THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO ENSURING ALL INDIVIDUALS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF PUBLIC SERVICE. AND ALL VOICES ARE AT THE TABLE. COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, TAMMY. AND, UH, I WANT TO REITERATE HER WORDS ABOUT EVERYONE BEING WELCOMED TO APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM. AS LONG AS YOU LIVE, WORK, OR STUDY IN DISTRICT H, UM, YOU ARE WELCOME TO APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. UM, AND WHEN WE PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, GREAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN. UH, BUT THIS IS ABOUT PROVIDING THEM TO WHOEVER MAY BE INTERESTED, UH, IN PUBLIC SERVICE OR EXPLORING, YOU KNOW, WHAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS REALLY LIKE AS A CAREER. UM, AND DISTRICT H IS ALSO A MAJORITY LATINO DISTRICT. UM, THIS IS, UH, A PART OF THE DISTRICT THAT, UH, HAS A LOT OF POPULATION, DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF REPRESENTATION HERE AT CITY HALL. AND SO, UH, PARTNERING WITH GROUPS THAT REPRESENT AND THAT SERVE A LOT OF THE LATINO POPULATION OF DISTRICT H IS GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT. UH, WHICH IS WHY FRANCIS DS HERE FROM THE EAST END CHAMBER IS STANDING BEHIND ME, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO WORK WITH THEM AS, UH, THEY ALSO JUST LAUNCHED THEIR OWN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM TOO. UH, SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS. UM, AND WE NEED A LOT MORE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS OUT THERE TO REALLY MEET THE NEEDS. SO I'M EXCITED THAT THEY ARE HERE AND A PART OF THIS EFFORT AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYBODY. UM, IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO. UM, I LIVE IN DISTRICT H. UM, I GREW UP IN DISTRICT H AND I STILL WORK IN DISTRICT H, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT, UH, TO BE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM. UH, LIKE YOU SAID, WE STARTED A, A COMMITTEE CALLED EAST END WORKS, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO PROUD TO BE HERE BECAUSE WE ALL DO GREAT THINGS INDIVIDUALLY, BUT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND PUT THOSE GREAT MINDS TOGETHER, MORE GREAT THINGS WILL HAPPEN. UM, WE, I HAVE MY INTERN HERE TODAY, MONICA. UM, UH, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER. WE HAD A COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY. WE'RE STARTING A PILOT PROGRAM AT THE, RAUL IS GARY SCHOOL FOR SUCCESS, AND IT'S A WORKABILITY SKILLS PROGRAM FOR KIDS IN THE 10TH AND 11TH AND AND SENIOR SCHOOL YEARS. UM, WE ARE GONNA GIVE THEM THESE WORKABILITY SKILLS SO THAT WHEN THEY APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS LIKE THE ONE HERE AT DISTRICT H, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, MAINTAIN IT AND THRIVE. UM, IT'S ALL ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, IN OUR DISTRICT. H YES, IT IS A MAJORITY LATINO, BUT THAT'S A MAJORITY OF HARDWORKING PARENTS, HARDWORKING STUDENTS. AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH, WITH, UH, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES AT CITY HALL, YOU HAVE YOUR FUTURE, UH, MAYOR, YOUR FUTURE COUNCIL MEMBERS, ET CETERA. SO, UH, ONE MORE TIME. IT'S ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION. WE'RE ALLOWED TO BE A PART, UH, UH, WITH TAMMY AND WITH DR. BLANCHARD. I ALSO ATTENDED CLASSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON DOWNTOWN. IT'S RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE. THAT IS GONNA BE SO BRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. AND AGAIN, I JUST WANNA REITERATE, UM, THE TIMELINE FOR THIS. IT IS A SIX MONTH PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM THROUGH MY OFFICE. YOU CAN APPLY AT HOUSTON TX.GOV/COUNSEL/H. APPLICATIONS ARE GONNA BE OPEN THROUGH THE MONTH OF JUNE, AND THEN WE WILL START, UH, SELECTIONS AND INTERVIEWS IN JULY. UM, BUT THIS IS INTENDED TO BE THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROGRAM. UM, THE GOAL IS TO GROW IT SO THAT WE GET MORE APPLICANTS, WE GET MORE FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED, AND WE CAN WORK WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO GET THEM PLACED HERE FOR AN INTERNSHIP. AND IF THEY'RE AN ENGINEERING STUDENT, UH, THAT COULD BE PUBLIC WORKS. IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN CITY PLANNING, THAT COULD BE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. UM, AND ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO GROW THIS SO THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AS WELL. UM, LIKE METRO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO COULD USE, UH, INTERN INTERNS THAT ARE INTERESTED. BUT THIS IS INTENDED TO GIVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO FOLKS FROM DISTRICT H, UH, LIVE, WORK OR STUDY, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN GET THAT CHANCE [00:15:01] TO EXPLORE THIS INTEREST. UH, THEY CAN DO IT IN A WAY WHERE THEY CAN EARN SOME MONEY AS WELL. AND YOU MAY GET THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER OUT OF THAT GROUP. YOU MAY GET THE NEXT CHIEF OF STAFF, YOU MAY GET THE NEXT DIRECTOR, UM, OR YOU COULD GET SOMEONE THAT GOES OFF AND WANTS TO START THEIR OWN NONPROFIT OR SEES A NEED AND START, UH, THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO THOSE THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T GET IT, BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS MAY WANNA WORK HERE, BUT DON'T HAVE THAT CHANCE OR DON'T HAVE THAT CONNECTION. UM, AND THIS IS A WAY TO BREAK THOSE BARRIERS DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS IN DISTRICT AGE WHO WANT THIS CHANCE TO GET IT. SO, UH, I'M SO EXCITED TO KICK THIS OFF. SO EXCITED TO WORK WITH SOME FANTASTIC, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS. I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AS WELL. UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW AND CONTINUE TO HELP, UH, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS WHO, WHO WANT THEM AND WHO NEED THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.